Impeller



sept. 4, 1934. s. HEATH 1,972,654

IMPELLER Filed March 3, 1930 isi-iiii v nventor 4 4 ggwm@ ya Cftorneg Patented Sept. 4, 19.34

IMPELLER Spencer -Heath, Elkridge, Md., ass'gnor to Th American Propeller Company, Baltimore, Md.,

a corporation of Maryland Application March 3, 1930, Serial No. 432,851

4 Claims.

This invention relates to impellers and more particularly to a portable impeller device which may be quickly and easily moved from one place to another.

It is frequently desirable where small groups of persons are engaged at work in factories, laboratories, etc., to provide air circulating means readily and quickly transportable from place to place, such means constituting a cooling fan or impeller.

One of the objects of the present invention is accordingly to provide a novel impeller structure ofthe above character which is adapted to deliver a draft of cooling air wherever desired.

Another object is to provide a novel supporting structure for an impeller, so constructed and Varranged as to be easily movable in order that the draft of cooling air delivered by theimpeller might be directed toward any particular object or'objects.

-A further object is to provide in an impeller supporting structure which is normally substantially immovable, novel means including a member pivoted to the forward portion of said support and carrying a wheel for rendering the support readily portable.

A still further object is to provide an impeller structure embodying a frame adapted to support the impeller unit and pivotally mounted in a novel manner, the said frame being tprovided with adjusting means for directing the flow of air delivered by the impeller, upwardly or downwardly.

The above and other vobjects will appear more `fully in the detailed description which follows. Although only one embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it is to be expressly understood that the same is employed for purposes of illustration only, and isv not to be construed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims. i

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts in the different views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portable impeller structure embodying the present invention; and- Fig. 2 is a side view partly in section of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the embodiment of the invention disclosed therein comprises a motor-driven fan or impeller mounted upon a carriage or frame which is normally stationary but which is provided with means whereby the frame may be rendered readily portable so that the same may be rolled to any desired location.

In the form shown, a frame or supporting structure comprising front uprights 3 and 4 and a rear upright 5, all of which may preferably be of metallic tubular construction, are Vconnected together by means of a coupling member 6 to form a substantially triangularly shaped support for amotor-driven impeller unit indicated generally at 7. The latter includes any suitable electric motor 8, tofthe armature shaft of which a fan or impeller 9 is drivably connected. A cable 10 is adapted to carry the usual electrical supply leads to the motor.

Means are provided for supporting the unit 7 within the space defined by uprights 3, 4 and 5 and adjacent the upper portion thereof, and preferably such supporting means are adjustable relative to said uprights in order to control the direction of the flow of air delivered by the impeller. In the form shown, vthe supporting means includes a frame having a pair of angularly related arms 11 and 12 each of said arms being provided at their forward ends with upwardly extending portions 13 and 14 the extremities of which are pivotally connected by bolts 15 and 16 to uprights 3 and 4, respectively. The rear portion of the frame is suitably secured to an angle plate 16a which is connected to an adjustable collar 17 encircling the upright 5. A transverse arm 18, riveted to arms 11 and 12 completes the frame to which a platform 19, carrying the unit 7, is secured by U-bolts 20. By moving the collar 17 to various positions between, spaced stop collars 21 and 22'on the upright 5, the frame carrying the motor-driven impeller unit 7 may be pivoted about the pivots 15 and 16 to direct the flow of air upwardly or downwardly as desired. A set screw 23 may be provided for locking the collar 17 in any desired position of adjustment.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the axis of pivots 15 and 16 passes through the central portion of the 'hub of the impeller. The latter is thus effectively supported at its hub, thus eliminating all unbalanced forces which would otherwise be present if the impeller were supported at a point below or rearwardly of the hub, and which would cause vibration and unsteady operation of the impeller unit. Due also to this construction, adjustment of the collar 17 will cause the impeller unit to be moved about a pivot passing through the hub of the impeller and as a result, each blade of the impeller will be moved out of the plane of the front uprights an equal amount. This enables a substantially narrow wire guard 40, carried by the uprights 3, 4 and 5, to be employed.

Means are provided adjacent the lower ends of uprights 3, 4 and 5, for rendering the supporting structure portable and for interconnecting the said uprights to form a solid and rigid structure. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, such means includes a substantially triangularly shaped frame 24 constituted by arms 25, 26 and 27, the twf first named arms being preferably formed of one piece of material, the last named arm being riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the arms 25 and 26. As shown, the arm 27 is provided with forward extensions 28 and 29, and the arms 25 and 26 are extended forwardly as indicated at 30 and 31. Extensions 28 and 30 are positioned [on either side of the upright .3 and are pivotally connected thereto by means of a pin 32, the arms or extensions 29 and 31 being similarly pivoted to the upright 4 by a pin 33. Wheels or rollers 34, spaced from the oor and consequently normally inoperative are carried bythe forward extremities of arms 29, 31 and 28,30 respectively in any suitable manner.

VAs shown in Fig. 2, each of the lower portions of the uprights 3 and 4 is provided with a foot or base 35 which normally rests upon the floor and renders the support substantially xed. In order to make the structure portable, means are provided for moving the frame 24 about the pivots 32 and 33 `in such a manner as to place the wheels 34 in contact with the floor and raise thefeet or bases 35 therefrom. To this end, an elongated collar 36 is secured to the frame24 in any suitable manner and surrounds the upright 5, there being provided a set screw 37, threadedly received by the collar which is adapted to frictionally engage the upright in order to maintain the frame in any desired position. of adjustment. Normally, the frame is adjusted in the position indicated by the solid lines in Fig. 2. However, when it is desired to move the .structure to another location, the frame 24 is adjusted to the position indicated in the dot and dash lines, Fig. 2f, wherein the collar 36 engages a stop collar 38, adjusted and fixed in a suitable position on the upright 5. The support then assumes the position indicated in dotted lines wherein the wheels 34 together with a roller 39 on upright 5, render the structure easily movable. After the device has been rolled to the desired location, the rear portion of the frame 24 is lowered whereby the Wheels 34 are raised and the bases or feet 35 again contact with the floor.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that there has. been provided a novel impeller structure which is normally stationary but which may'quickly and easilybe rendered portable and rolled to any desired position. By mounting the wheels 34 forwardly of the uprights 3 and 4, the said wheels are located at a substantial distance in front of the center of gravity of the impeller unit 7 so that when the said wheels are adjusted to be operable, the structure is stable and all danger of the device tipping over when moved is substantially eliminated. The frame 24 not only serves as a support for the wheels 34 but also functions to rigidly maintain the three uprights in proper spaced relation. By providing the pivotally adjustable frame directly supporting the impeller unit, the latter may be adjusted vertically in order that the draft of air delivered` by the impeller may be directed in the proper direction. Substantially all vibration due to the operation of this unit is eliminated by pivoting the support therefor on an axis substantially coincident with the hub of the impellerblades.

-It has been stated in the description that the structure embodying the invention may be employed as a cooling fan or impeller, but it is to y be understood that the same may also be utilized as a ventilator, if desired.

Though only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limitedthereto, but may be embodied in various mechanical forms, as well understood by those skilled in the art. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable supporting means for an impeller having a plurality of motor driven blades comprising a frame including a rear upright and a pair of forward uprights, a support for said motor and impeller, means for pivotally connecting said support to each of said forward uprights the common axis of said pivotal connections passing through the hub of the impeller blades, and means for adjustably connecting the support to said rear upright.

2. The combination with a supporting means for a motor-driven impeller unit, said supporting means including a pair of forward uprights and a rear upright, of means for rendering the supporting means portable comprising a wheel operatively connected with a foot of each upright, a platform disposed within the space defined by said uprights, means for pivotally connecting the forward portion of said platform to the forward uprights, means for adjustably connecting the rear portion of said platform to said rear upright and means for securing the motor of said unit to the platform whereby the center of gravity -of said motor is disposed rearwardly, of said forward uprights.

3. The combination, with a supporting means for an impeller having a motor for driving the same, said supporting means comprising a pair of forward uprights and a rear upright, of a. platform for said impeller and motor disposed within the space defined by said uprights; means for pivota'lly connecting the forward portion of said platform to the forward uprights said means including pivots the common axis of said pivots passing through the central hub portion of said impeller perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the latter, means for adjustably connecting the rear portion of said platform to said rear upright and means for securing the motor to the platform whereby the center of gravity of said motor is disposed rearwardly of said forward uprights.

4. The combination with a supporting means for a motor driven impeller unit, said supporting means including a pair of spaced-apart forward uprights and a rear-upright defining a supporting frame, of means for rendering said supporting frame portable comprising a roller operatively connected with the foot of each upright, a support positioned within the space dened by said uprights adjacent the upper portion of the frame, means for pivotally connecting the forward portion of the support to the forward uprights, means for adjustably connecting the rear 11 portion of said support to the rear upright, and means for securing the motor of said unit to the support in such a position that the center of gravity of said motor is disposed rearwardly of the rollers operatively connected with said front .'A v

uprights.

' SPENCER HEATH. 

